


Back in Black

by GwendolynGrace



Series: Blackstory [2]
Category: Alternity - A Harry Potter Alternate Universe, Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter Alternity - Fandom
Genre: Blackstory, Canon Backstory, Canon Compliant, Gen, HP Alternity, RPG
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-08
Updated: 2015-09-08
Packaged: 2018-04-19 18:56:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4757300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GwendolynGrace/pseuds/GwendolynGrace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At a family funeral, Sirius tries to look after Regulus, with rather disappointing results.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Back in Black

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written in 2008-2010. This is one of a series of "Blackstory" - backstory fanfic about the Blacks - that I wrote while playing in the HP Alternity RPG. Because they take place before the game diverged, they are also canon-compliant. All the characters' actions were approved by other players at the time this was written.

1965

Sirius didn’t remember ever seeing so many people in the house. From his level, it was mostly robes: black robes, green robes, dark purple and burgundy and occasionally a flash of silver or gold from a clasp or a bit of lining. He recognised his Uncles Ignatius, Cygnus and Stephen and his Aunts Druella and Lucretia, Mother and Father, of course, and over in the corner of the parlour, Great-Aunt Cassiopeia, Grandfather Pollux and Grandfather Arcturus, there in the best chair. A constant stream of people, many of whom he did not know, approached his grandfather to pay respects. There were the cousins, too: Bellatrix twisting her hair absently, talking to two boys her age, Andromeda looking bored since Aunt Druella took her book away, and Narcissa, who had just announced pointedly that she had no interest in playing with ‘babies’ when she was nearly ready to start at Hogwarts herself.

Sirius was rather bored, too, but Mother had told him to keep Regulus quiet and close to hand. ‘Mayn’t we go to the nursery?’ he had asked.

‘No, you may not,’ Mother had said. ‘You must be gracious to our guests. They have come to pay their respects to your Grandfather and to the rest of the family besides.’

‘Pay gold?’ Regulus had asked, jutting out his chin.

‘No, precious,’ Mother said with a sweet smile. ‘My clever boy, no, they have come to say goodbye to your Great-Aunt Lycoris, who was your Grandfather’s sister.’

‘Is she going ‘way?’ Regulus asked.

‘She’s dead, remember?’ Sirius muttered. Mother had explained the day before, but Reg never remembered anything.

‘Sirius, tone,’ Mother warned. Sirius bit his lip. He had a hazy recollection of when his grandmother had died the previous summer, just over a year ago. Mother and Father had taken him to Aunt Druella and Uncle Cygnus’ house then, leaving Regulus at home with his nurse. It had been a confusing day. All the grown-ups had wanted to look at him, and Aunt Cassiopeia had pinched his cheek and cast a charm on him that made him speak louder all day, because she couldn’t hear him when he’d mumbled his, ‘Very well, thank you,’ when she’d asked how he was.

He didn’t think much of funerals. He figured today was only going to be more of the same: adults alternating between ignoring him and his brother and treating them as curiosities.

Mother made them put on their best robes, which Sirius hated for the itchy collar and tight sleeves, and told them again to be polite to everyone downstairs. With a final reminder to Sirius not to eat or let Regulus eat too many biscuits, she had led them into the parlour. For the last hour, they had dodged around the sea of knees and robes, feeling like their house-elf.

Except house-elves were usually left alone.

'Little Sirius, is it?' a large witch in dark blue robes peered down at him. 'And this must be Regulus! Come here, boys, and let your Auntie Maldiva get a better look at you.'

'Auntie who?' Regulus whispered to Sirius.

'Sh,' Sirius replied, though he had no better idea who she was than his baby brother.

Auntie Maldiva stood them next to one another before her, inspecting them as one might a prize Abraxan. 'You'll be tall like your mother,' she informed Sirius. Her eye trained on Regulus. 'And you. Have you shown your magic yet?'

Regulus reddened. 'Of course I have!' he said indignantly.

'Reg got Boracchio down from the highest shelf when he was still in his cradle,' Sirius supplied quickly and, surprisingly, calmly. He couldn't afford to disrupt the other grown-ups by letting Reg get into one of his tempers.

'Who or what is Boracchio?' the witch (Sirius didn't think she was really their aunt) asked archly.

'A toy bear,' he explained. 'He used to be Father's but he goes on the high shelf now because he's old. But Reg got'im, didn't you, Reg?' He nudged Regulus on the arm, eyes wide in an unspoken plea to be nice.

'Yeah,' Reg said, though his voice held more defiance than politeness.

'Auntie' Maldiva sniffed. 'Hmph. And you are already broom-back, I hear?'

'Yes'm,' Sirius said carefully. 'How are you our Auntie?' he asked. He wanted to change the subject, and besides, if she was going to be rude, he didn't care if he was.

She looked surprised that he would ask. 'Why ...' she began. For a moment, it seemed she might provide an honest answer, or perhaps she was trying to think of a relation in the convoluted family tree. But then she bristled and said instead, 'I've never heard such impertinence!'

Sirius grabbed Regulus' hand. 'Excuse us, we have to go,' he said and with no further explanation, tugged his brother away.

'I didn't like her, Sirius,' Regulus told him.

'Nor me, either,' Sirius agreed. 'C'mon, let's get more to eat.'

They took plates piled with cream buns and finger sandwiches and sought shelter by the window-seat in the drawing room. Outside, a group of Muggle boys were playing football on the square.

'C'n we play, too?' Regulus asked.

'No,' Sirius said, sighing. 'Not today.'

'Cheek,' said a tall, thin witch, appearing next to them. She watched for a moment, shaking her head in disapproval. Then she flicked her wand at the window. The boys' football changed direction mid-kick, crashing into a parked car across the square. The window smashed; the boys retrieved their ball and ran away.

'Orion really ought to strengthen the protections,' she announced, joined now by a silver-haired wizard. His brooch proclaimed him a Warlock of the 3rd Order. 'The Muggles 'round here, really, they're becoming far too bold.'

'Now Janitha, that's dashed unfair. It's not at all Orion's fault. They're encroaching everywhere these days. Hullo,' he continued cheerily, looking down at Sirius and Regulus as if for the first time. 'You likely don't remember me. I'm--"

'You're Memnus Pilliwickle,' Sirius said, blinking. 'I've seen your picture in the papers. You're a friend of Father's, too, aren't you?'

Mr Pilliwickle smiled. 'That's right. Bright lad; you must be Sirius.'

Sirius nodded. 'This is Regulus,' he added, remembering his manners. 'Reg, Mr Pilliwickle's a famous duellist.'

'I want to be a duellist!' Regulus volunteered. 'When I grow up, I mean.'

'Good, good,' Mr Pilliwickle said jovially. 'And do you know the three-point attack?'

'He's only four,' Sirius confided. This was an important distinction, as he had recently turned six. 'He can barely tie his shoelaces.'

'Can so!' Reg insisted. He poked his shoe out under his robes, but pulled it back when he saw the lacing half undone.

'Never too early to learn proper form,' Mr Pilliwickle chuckled. He perched on the edge of the window-seat and beckoned Regulus closer. 'Now, what you do--turn 'round and I'll show you--' he put his arms around Regulus to hold his hands in the right place, and walk him through the move.

Sirius looked out the window again. The neighbourhood boys were gone, but the sun was still shining. His collar itched.

 

It was funny--not 'ha-ha' funny, but weird: When GranIrma had died, it seemed, more people were upset. Today, someone talking to Grandfather would occasionally dab at their eyes with a handkerchief, but really, no one seemed all that shattered that Great-Aunt Lycoris was gone, never coming back.

'No one cares because she was a mean old b--, er, bat,' Andromeda told him when he found her to ask. She had managed to slip away to the library. When he and Regulus came there looking for a quieter place to eat their tea cakes, they'd found her and a teenaged boy in the settle near the fireplace, though it was summer and no one needed a fire. The boy, whom Andi said was called Jeremiah, had been annoyed at the interruption, but Andi hadn't seemed to mind and told them they could stay so long as they weren't a bother. Sirius had asked his question tentatively and been given a prompt answer.

'That's why she never got married,' Jeremiah added. Sirius regarded him solemnly.

'Jeremiah's right,' Andromeda said. 'Besides, she's not even related to our side, by much, anyway.'

'Sirius....' Regulus said suddenly. Sirius looked over the back of the settle where Regulus was sitting on the floor. An enormous blot of cream dotted Regulus's robes.

'How did you ...?' Sirius asked accusingly.

'Oh, here,' the boy named Jeremiah said. 'Scourgify,' and the cream stain vanished from Regulus' robes.

'Thank you,' Sirius said solemnly. 'There, Reg, all--'

'Huh-uh,' Regulus shook his head, eyes wide and distressed. He opened his mouth and vomited quite suddenly.

'Gross,' Jeremiah pronounced. 'Andi, your cousin's gone and made himself sick.'

Andromeda was holding her nose. ' _Scourgify_ ,' she incanted. The vomit disappeared, but Regulus was still holding his stomach and crying. Loudly.

'I'll get your mother,' Jeremiah offered. Before any of them could tell him no, he left the library.

'Reg, can you get upstairs?' Sirius asked urgently. 'Kreacher!'

There was a crack. 'Young master Sirius wants Kreacher's help? He must be quick; Kreacher is needed in the kitchens, he must refill the wine decanters and--'

'I want you to get Regulus to bed,' Sirius pleaded. 'Before Mother comes up.'

Kreacher narrowed his eyes. 'Would Mistress approve?' he asked shrewdly.

'She'll approve less of leaving him here when he's sick,' Andi put in to save Sirius an argument. 'Anyway, he needs help.'

'Stomach hurts,' Regulus moaned.

Sirius turned a little green with worry himself. 'Are you going to--'

He did. Again--this time on Sirius' shoes and robes while he was trying to help his brother rise.

'Children, are you in here?' Mother's voice called in the doorway. As she came around the corner, Regulus wailed. Sirius looked down at the disgusting, sodden mop of his hem. Mother took it in, too. 'What is the meaning of this?' she asked through thin lips. 'Regulus, have you been eating yourself sick with sweets?' she accused.

'Sirius gave'em to me,' Regulus pointed miserably.

Sirius felt his cheeks flush. 'They were for both of us, it's not my fault you made a pig of yourself--'

'Enough.' Mother looked at Andromeda. 'Would you excuse us, dear?' she asked with civility that dripped with icing as honeyed as the buns Regulus had gobbled.

Andromeda seemed only too happy to escape. She spared one commiserating smile for Sirius and darted out of the library.

Mother saw Kreacher, who had been hovering near the arm of the wing-backed chair since she entered. 'Kreacher, see to your tasks,' she ordered him coldly. Sirius flinched at the crack that signaled the elf's departure. 'You will remain here while I see to your brother,' she told him. She gathered Regulus in her arms and left, not bothering to clean Sirius's robes before going.

He knew she hadn't forgotten to do it. He couldn't really move, though, because of it, and she was gone a long time. It smelled awful and felt cold and wet and slimy against his legs. He stood as stoically as he could, waiting for her to come back. He hated standing still, though, so he swung his arms and linked and unlinked his elbows and played finger games, fidgeting from the waist up to keep himself amused. Anytime he forgot and let his foot or knee bounce, he got slapped by the ick. It was punishment in itself to wait and wait.

The door opened on the far side of the library. He could just see the light stream in from the corridor outside, over the tall shelves. Despite the fact that Mother's return meant punishment, he brightened; at least she would have to clean him up before he tracked throw-up all over the rugs.

But it wasn't Mother. It was Cousin Bellatrix. She took in the sight of him, miserable and stinking, and split her face in a wolfish grin. 'Andi said you'd been fouled,' she crowed. 'Really, you are a mess, I shouldn't wonder if Auntie Walburga packs you off to deepest, darkest Africa.'

'She wouldn't!' Sirius said hotly.

Bellatrix merely shrugged. 'No matter to me if she does. I only came to see if it was really as funny as Andi made it sound. It's rather sad, is all,' she concluded, sounding disappointed. She turned on her heel.

'Wait--' Sirius took an involuntary step and the wet part of his robes slapped his leg. 'Clean me up, please? I don't know how much longer Mother will be.'

Bella laughed. 'Clean you up? Do I look like your servant, you little beggar? Why haven't you made your elf do it for you?'

Sirius's face felt hot. He should have known better than to ask for help from his cousin. 'Mother sent him back to the kitchen,' he mumbled.

'Well, then, she must want you to stand there in your muck,' Bella told him sensibly. 'And if you think I'm going to cross Auntie Walburga for no reason you're much mistaken.' She crossed her arms, head tilted as if she were issuing a challenge.

'It's not my muck. And it's not my fault Reg ate all the cakes and didn't leave me any,' Sirius reasoned. 'Hasn't Cissy ever done something even when you told her not to?'

Bellatrix snorted. 'All the time. Welcome to being the eldest. Deal with it.' She shook her head again, this time as if in disbelief, and stalked toward the door.

It opened before she could reach it. 'Oh, Auntie Walburga,' Sirius heard her say sweetly. 'I was just checking on little Cousin Sirius. He's right where Andi left him. We're so sorry about Cousin Lycoris, Uncle Orion must feel terrible. Goodbye,' she concluded breezily. Sirius heard the door shut. A moment later Mother rounded the bookcases in the centre of the room.

She didn't say anything for a long time, just let him stand there feeling wretched. When he said nothing, she sighed. 'Well?'

Sirius bit his lip. His palms itched and he felt a prickle in the corners of his eyes. 'I'm ... sorry?' he said, trying not to make it sound like a question.

'For?'

'For ... not looking after Regulus as I ought,' he supplied.

'And?'

'And ... for making you leave the party?'

'It is not a party,' Mother rebuked testily. 'But otherwise, correct. And?'

'And ... I didn't mean for him to get sick,' Sirius offered.

'And?'

Sirius quavered. What else could she want? She must have seen his struggle, because she prompted: 'For causing Kreacher to desert his duties?'

'Oh. What's desert, Mother?' He didn't think she meant pudding.

'You made him leave the kitchen, Sirius, and set aside his given tasks for your selfish purposes. You attempted to hide your failure by forcing a servant to cover it up.'

Sirius felt the giant tears escaping his eyes and couldn't stop them. 'I wasn't, mummy. I was worried about Reg, is all. You told me to take care of him, so I was trying.'

'Your not trying is what made him ill in the first place, and don't contra--don't _lie_ to me,' she said. 'I also told you not to fill up your plate with nothing but sweets. And did you do that? No. Greedy boy.'

Sirius dissolved completely. 'I'm sorry. I'll be good. Please don't send me to Africa. I want to stay.'

'Stop snivelling. What are you talking about?' She waited while he wiped his eyes and nose on his sleeve. ' _Scourgify_ ,' she intoned, pointing at his robes. The unexpected gesture silenced him. 'Now, what is this about?'

'Cousin Bella said you're going to pack me away to Africa.'

'Did she?' Mother looked beyond his shoulder to the door. 'Well, no one is sending you away, dear--not today, at any rate,' she beckoned him forward. Sirius let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding and went willingly into the circle of her arms. 'Now, what have you learned?'

'To do what you say, just as you say it.' That was always a safe answer.

'And in future?'

'I'll ... watch him better?'

Mother's eyes narrowed, but she accepted his answer with a quick kiss on his forehead. 'Now, come along; your uncle just arrived and you ought to meet him.' She held out her hand. Sirius took it eagerly, though it didn't make sense, what she said. Both his uncles had been there all day, and he had seen them many other times besides today.

But it wasn't Uncle Cygnus, nor Uncle Ignatius waiting in the parlour. This was a man Sirius was sure he'd never met. No one in his family was that jolly. Uncle Alphard was older than Uncle Cygnus but he seemed much younger. He was portly and pinkish, with wrinkles around his eyes from smiling, which he did most of the time. Sirius liked him instantly.

'Well, now, you can't be my godson, he's just a squalling, red lump,' he said jovially when Sirius was introduced. 'D'you know, the last time I saw you was at your Naming Ceremony? You must come and tell me everything that's happened since then.' He whisked Sirius away from Mother without another thought, and she did not object at all.

It was like magic.

'Why were you away so long?' Sirius asked breathlessly.

'Oh, travelling. Here, there. I walked the Great Wall of China and sailed round Cape Horn, discovered a curious otter in the Galapagos Islands and fell in love more than once! But that's all nothing to interest a growing boy like you. What have you been up to?'

Sirius didn't think he'd have anything of note to compare to the wonders his uncle had rattled off like a greengrocer's list. 'Have you met any pirates?' he asked.

'Met them? Who d'you think took me round Cape Horn?' Alphard laughed. 'Why, lad, are you a pirate?' He winked, the smile never leaving his face.

Sirius smiled back. Mother's stern disappointment seemed to fade away. 'Sometimes,' he admitted.

 

Regulus was feeling better by supper, so he was allowed to return to the table when the family gathered. Even with all the non-relations gone, there were still sixteen in the party. Grandfather Arcturus sat at the head of the table, Mother on his right and Aunt Lucretia on his left. Father was on the other end, flanked by Great-Aunt Cassiopeia and Grandmother Melania. They had put Reg across the table between Bella and Cissy, but Sirius and Andi got to sit on either side of Uncle Alphard. Best yet, they were halfway down from Mother, so she couldn't really see Sirius if more carrots moved round his plate than actually went into his mouth.

'...No, it's absolutely true,' Alphard was saying to Andromeda. 'The merfolk of the Black Sea are an entirely different species to the indigenous tribe in Hogwarts' lake. The higher the saline content of the waters, the less warlike the merfolk are likely to be. Unless, of course, one raises them in a net while fishing for tunney. Then they are as likely to curse one's ship as to grant a wish in exchange for their freedom.'

'What did you wish for?' Sirius asked, fascinated.

'Wine, women, and song,' Uncle Alphard said glibly.

At this, Grandfather Pollux snorted. 'Alfie, stop baiting the boy,' he said. 'You know perfectly well mermen don't grant wishes.'

Uncle Alphard winked at Sirius again. 'Oh, Sirius knows better than to credit anything I have to say, Father,' he said, his mood never breaking. 'And if he doesn't, I daresay he'll learn to discount it all as useless drollery soon enough.'

'I daresay we have all learned to do that, my son,' Grandfather Pollux said wryly. 'It is hardly a source of pride.' All the grown-ups laughed.

'What's funny?' Sirius whispered to Uncle Alphard.

'They're funny,' his uncle said. But he went no further, and the conversation turned back to remembrance of Great-Aunt Lycoris, so Sirius couldn't ask for any clarification.


End file.
